After over two years of regulatory gymnastics, it's official: Rogue Creamery cheeses are now available in the UK, Paris and Amsterdam.

If you've ever wondered why you don't see more American artisan cheeses for sale across the pond, herein lies your answer - the regulatory hurdles are extensive, time consuming and expensive and deter all but the most tenacious potential cheese exporters. Rogue Creamery worked to bring together Oregon legislators on the state and national level with officials from the Oregon Dept. of Agriculture, the US Dairy Export Council, the FDA and the USDA to develop regulations and guidelines for the export of raw milk cheeses that didn't even exist. Now Rogue Creamery is a pioneer, blazing the trail for American artisan cheesemakers to conquer the world market.

"The fact than an Oregon raw milk cheese is competitive in the EU is a clear testimony to the quality of Oregon's artisan cheeses," says Katy Coba, Director of the Oregon Dept. of Agriculture. "It emphasizes that Oregon's artisan cheesemakers are highly skilled and produce great cheese. The success of Rogue Creamery is a celebration of Oregon, orur milk, our dows, and our artisan cheesemakers."

Rogue River Blue is available in London at Neals Yard Dairy (check it out in the Easter Selection here); the entire line of Rogue Creamery cheeses is now available at London Whole Foods stores. Rogue Creamery cheeses will also be available at independent retailers in France and the Netherlands.